If one was to think about a close friend, it could be someone they have known for a number of months or it may be a number of years. Yet regardless of how long they have known each other for, they will have a strong connection.

And through having this bond, their life is going to be a lot more fulfilling, and it will also make it easier. One could be in a position where they have a number of close friends, and these people are also going to play a significant part in their life.

Friends Forever

On one hand, there is the chance that one will stay friends with someone until their time on this earth comes to an end (or until the other persons time comes to an end. And on the other hand, there is the chance that their friendship will come to an end before that happens.

There will be people in the past that stayed friends with someone until the end, and there are bound to be people who will also have this experience in the future. It could be said that the ideal will be for one to stay friends with someone for their whole life.

Support

The time that they spend together will give them a deeper understanding of each other, and this will make it easier for them to show their support. At times, this could relate to something significant and at other times, it could relate to something that is not.

For example, if one of them was feeling down, the other might know where to take them in order to cheer them up. At the same time, one of them could also be able to have the same effect by taking the time to listen to them.

The Right Option

However, if one didn’t have a deeper understanding, it would be a lot harder for them to know what option to take. When one has this understanding, it can be because they have known them for so long.
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Thus, this further emphasises how import long term friendships are, as they are going to be deeply rewarding. Still, this doesn’t mean that one can’t have this kind of friendship with someone who they haven’t known for very long.

Empathy

Having said that, it would be inaccurate to say that one can’t have this kind of experience with someone they have only known for a short while. As long as they both have the ability to emphasise, it can take place without too much time having passed.

So when one has a connection with someone, they could feel as though they have been friends them for a very long time. On the other side of this, one could have been friends with someone for ages and not have the same connection.

Old Friends Are the Best Friends

Therefore, it although it is often said that old friends are the best friend, this is clearly not the case. But as this is a saying that has been ingrained into people’s minds over the years, it can be hard for them to realise this.

Another thing that is often said is that the ‘right’ people stay in someone’s life and the ‘wrong’ ones don’t. However, what this overlooks is the fact that the people who are only in one’s life for a short while can also be the ‘right’ ones.

Another Perspective

If old friends are indeed the best friends that would also mean that it wouldn’t be possible for one to experience a closer connection someone they haven’t known for long. And just because someone is only in one’s life for a short while, it doesn’t mean it was a waste of time meeting them.

What one learns or realises through having that person in their life could have far greater impact on their life than what they would learn through having someone in their life for a number of years, for instance. But if one believes that someone has to stay around for a certain amount of time in order to have a positive effect on their life, it can cause them to overlook the fact that they were the ‘right’ one.

Fixed Outlook

One way of looking at this would be to say that if one believes that their life should always be a certain way, it will set them up to suffer unnecessarily. It will then be normal for them to believe that their life is going in the wrong direction.

Yet if they were able to put their expectations to one side and to trust, they may begin to find that their life is going in the right direction. The reason it can be hard to notice this is because this is not always something that will take place straight away.

The End

Still, regardless of how long one has been friends with someone, there can come a time when a friendship will come to an end. This can be something that will cause one to experience pain, or they might end up feeling relieved.

There are a number of reasons why two people would be drawn together, and one of these reasons is that they carry similar wounds, so to speak. What can then keep them together is if they don’t work on these wounds or if they both work on them, and what can cause them to drift apart is if only one of them heals these wounds.

Other Factors

Along with this, one of them may have changed their outlook in life, and they could find that being around the other no longer nourishes them. This could mean that their values have changed.

Another thing that can do it is one of them has treated the other in a bad way, or if they have done a number of things to erode the connection that they had. Perhaps one of them has been having an affair with the others partner, or they have been abusing them in some way.

Awareness

If one feels relieved after a friendship has come to an end, they might be able to carry on with the rest of their life. However, if this is something that has caused one to experience a strong reaction (regardless of whether they are relieved or not), they might need to reach out for external support.

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